Polish Fairy Tales

By Antoni Józef Gliński

"Polish Fairy Tales" by Antoni Józef Gliński (translated by Maude Ashurst Biggs). Published by Good Press. Good Press publishes a wide range of titles that encompasses every genre. From well-known classics & literary fiction and non-fiction to forgotten−or yet undiscovered gems−of world literature, we issue the books that need to be read. Each Good Press edition has been meticulously edited and formatted to boost readability for all e-readers and devices. Our goal is to produce eBooks that are user-friendly and accessible to everyone in a high-quality digital format.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Good Press
• Release date: Apr 10, 2021
• ISBN: 4064066462864

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Antoni Józef Gliński

Polish Fairy Tales

Published by Good Press, 2022

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EAN 4064066462864

Table of Contents

The Frog Princess

Princess Miranda and Prince Hero

The Eagles

The Whirlwind

The Good Ferryman and the Water Nymphs

The Princess of the Brazen Mountain

The Bear in the Forest Hut

Appendix

ILLUSTRATIONS

Table of Contents

POLISH FAIRY TALES

Table of Contents

The Frog Princess

Table of Contents

Pg36668-image-i01t.jpg

THE FROG PRINCESS

Table of Contents

Pg36668-image-drop-t.jpg HERE was once a king, who was very old; but he had three grown-up sons. So he called them to him, and said:

My dear sons, I am very old, and the cares of government press heavily upon me. I must therefore give them over to one of you. But as it is the law among us, that no unmarried prince may be King, I wish you all to get married, and whoever chooses the best wife shall be my successor.

So they determined each to go a different way, and settled ​it thus. They went to the top of a very high tower, and each one at a given signal shot an arrow in a different direction to the others. Wherever their arrows fell they were to go in search of their future wives.

The eldest prince's arrow fell on a palace in the city, where lived a senator, who had a beautiful daughter; so he went there, and married her. The second prince's arrow struck upon a country-house, where a very pretty young lady, the daughter of a rich gentleman, was sitting; so he went there, and proposed to her, and they were married.

But the youngest prince's arrow shot through a green wood, and fell into a lake. He saw his arrow floating among the reeds, and a frog sitting thereon, looking fixedly at him.

But the marshy ground was so unsafe that he could not venture upon it; so he sat down in despair.

What is the matter, prince? asked the frog.

What is the matter? Why, I cannot reach that arrow on which you are sitting.

Take me for your wife, and I will give it to you.

But how can you be my wife, little frog?

That is just what has got to be. You know that you shot your arrow from the tower, thinking that where it fell, you would find a loving wife; so you will have her in me.

You are very wise, I see, little frog. But tell me, how ​can I marry you, or introduce you to my father? And what will the world say?

Take me home with you, and let nobody see me. Tell them that you have married an Eastern lady, who must not be seen by any man, except her husband, nor even by another woman.

The prince considered a little. The arrow had now floated to the margin of the lake; he took the arrow from the little frog, put her in his pocket, carried her home, and then went to bed, sighing very deeply.

Next morning the king was told that all his sons had got married; so he called them all together, and said:

Well children, are you all pleased with your wives?

Very pleased indeed, father and king.

Well, we shall see who has chosen best. Let each of my daughters-in-law weave me a carpet by to-morrow, and the one whose carpet is the most beautiful shall be queen.

The elder princes hastened at once to their ladies; but the youngest, when he reached home, was in despair.

What is the matter, prince? asked the frog.

What is the matter? My father has ordered that each of his daughters-in-law shall weave him a carpet, and the one whose carpet proves the most beautiful shall be first in rank. My brothers' wives are most likely working at their looms already. But you, little frog, although you can give ​back an arrow, and talk like a human being, will not be able to weave a carpet, as far as I can see.

Don't be afraid, she said; go to sleep, and before you wake the carpet shall be ready.

So he lay down, and went to sleep.

But the little frog stood on her hind-legs in the window and sang:

There was a gentle murmur of the breezes, and from the sunbeams descended seven lovely maidens, who floated into the room, carrying baskets of various coloured wools, pearls, and flowers. They curtsied deeply to the little frog, and in a few minutes they wove a wonderfully beautiful carpet; then they curtsied again, and flew away.

Meanwhile the wives of the other princes bought the most beautifully coloured wools, and the best designs they could find, and worked hard at their looms all the next day.

The little house turns. Illustration by Cecile Walton, 1920..jpg

THE LITTLE HOUSE TURNS

​Then all the princes came before the king, and spread out their carpets before him.

The king looked at the first and the second; but when he came